What are the basic elements in communication process?

The basic elements in the communication process are:

1. The Communicator or Sender – The process of communication starts with the communicator. In an organisation, communicators can be managers, non-managers, departments, the outside public, customers etc. Without communication, an organisation cannot function. The communicator has a message, or an idea or information to be communicated.

2. Encoding – The second important element in the communication process is encoding. Encoding involves the selection of language in which the message is to be given. The medium of expression may be speaking, writing, signalling, gesturing, physical contacting, handshake, hitting etc. Encoding should be done in such a way that the receiver may correctly understand the message communicated to him.

3. Message – The message is what a communicator is communicating. Without this, there is no communication. The message sent by the person should be stated in clear and unambiguous terms. Managers have several purposes of communicating viz. to have others understand their ideas, to understand the ideas of others, to gain the acceptance of their ideas, and finally to produce action.

4. Medium – The medium is said to be the carrier of message sent by a person to another. The medium may be face-to-face communication, telephone, group meetings, computers, memorandums, policy statements, production schedules, and sales forecasts. Sometimes, nonverbal media such as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, gesturing etc., are also used. Thus, the transmission of message may be done orally, in writing, or by gesturing.

5. Decoding – It involves interpretation of the message by the receiver. Interpretation of message largely depends on the perception, past experience and attitudes of the receiver.

6. The receiver – A communicator has to communicate with some other person called, the receiver. While communicating, the person should carefully understand the receiver. The communicator should take into account the receiver, his decoding abilities, his understanding capacity of the message being transmitted. Effective communication is always receiver-oriented; not message- oriented. The communicator should see that the receiver receives the message accurately and properly. If the receiver is unable to receive the message, the fault lies in the communicator, not the receiver. The communicator should send the message in that language which the receiver understands.

7. Feedback – Communication process includes feedback also. Feedback is a essential to see that no distortion between the intended message and received message exists.

8. Noise – It is a disturbance that tends to obstruct the smooth flow of communication and reduces the clarity of the message. It may be the result of poor network, in attention of the receiver etc.